This invention relates generally to shelves and, more particularly, to refrigerator shelves.
A refrigerator typically includes a number of shelves for the storage of food and beverage containers of many shapes and sizes. As the containers are retrieved, returned and/or rearranged on the shelves, occasional leaks and spilling of food and liquid may occur. Cleaning up after a spill on a crowded refrigerator shelf can be difficult, especially when spilled liquid leaks onto lower shelves.
To contain liquid spills on a refrigerator shelf, it is known to use xe2x80x9cpicture framexe2x80x9d shelves. See, for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,030. Picture frame shelves include edges that are wrapped around, attached, or otherwise fitted to a glass plate to form a dam around the edges of the plate for containing spilled liquid.
The seal of the picture frame, however, is dependent on the external dimensions of the glass plate which vary somewhat from plate to plate. In addition, insert molding, or glass encapsulation processes, used to manufacture picture frame shelves may depend on shrinkage of the plastic used to fabricate the frame. Because of the plastic shrinkage, the edges of the glass plate must be notched and edged for the frame to properly seal the glass. Further, picture frame shelves are typically supported only on the edges of the plate and therefore require a glass plate having a thickness sufficient to support the entire load of the shelf.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a refrigerator shelf that contains spills that is not as dependent on the external dimensions of the glass plate as a picture frame shelf. In addition, it would be desirable if the shelf seal does not depend on shrinkage of the fabrication material. Further, it would desirable if the shelf could be manufactured inexpensively and assembled easily.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a refrigerator shelf includes a substantially flat plate, a cross support and a frame. The frame is sealed to a substantially flat surface of the glass to contain spilled liquids.
The plate includes a substantially flat first surface and a substantially flat second surface. The cross support extends beneath the plate first surface and between a pair of shelf side supports. The cross support transfers a load of the shelf to the side supports.
The shelf frame is sealed to the second surface of the plate with an adhesive around the edges of the second surface. Consequently, the frame seal is independent of the size of the glass plate and independent of shrinkage of the material used to make the frame. Rather, the sealing of the frame depends on the flatness of the glass, which is easier to control than plate dimensions and plastic shrinkage.